No abstract

The issue of co-occurring disorders is of concern to the Criminal Justice field, including drug courts. To assess the potential co-occurrence of substance use- and mental health-related diagnoses, the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire and similar instruments was administered to suburban drug court clients. Based on the screening, one quarter to one half of the 108 participants would be referred for follow-up for a mental health issue; women would be referred at a greater rate than men. There is a need to develop appropriate, brief mental health screening instruments for use in drug court settings so that clients can receive necessary services.

Although large scale national surveys provide extensive data about the nature and frequency of alcohol use among American college students, survey research on alcohol does not provide detailed information on the context of college alcohol consumption that may contribute to drinking-related negative consequences. This research sought to gather specific information on the contexts in which alcohol use occurs among college students through a series of focus groups. Participants described specific incidents of heavy drinking, alcohol consumption patterns, drinking locations and environments, co-drinkers, and associated consequences experienced from drinking. Results indicated that participants often experienced negative consequences from alcohol use if they consumed shots of hard liquor or if they participated in drinking games and/or "pre-gamed." In addition, negative consequences were more common during specific events/special occasions. An implication of these findings is the possibility of reducing negative alcohol-related consequences by tailoring health promotion/harm reduction efforts specifically toward excessive drinking of hard liquor and excessive "pre-gaming."

The present study sought to test the feasibility of measuring quantity and frequency of self-reported alcohol consumption among college students using the Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND) by comparing results to a retrospective Timeline Followback (TLFB). A total of 40 undergraduate college students completed a HAND assessment during the two-week study period and completed a TLFB at follow-up. The HAND recorded similar levels of alcohol consumption compared to the TLFB. There were no significant differences in overall alcohol consumption, drinks per drinking day, or heavy drinking days between the two methods of assessment. Handheld computers may represent a useful tool for assessing daily alcohol use among college students.